Posted on 09/05/2011 7:10:58 AM PDT by csvset
A senior Al Qaeda leader who has been linked to the planning of attacks on Australia has been arrested in Pakistan.
Younis al-Mauritania was caught in the suburbs of the south-western city of Quetta, the military said in a statement.
Two other senior operatives in the Al Qaeda terrorist group were also captured and arrested by Pakistan's main intelligence service.
Mauritania was responsible for conducting international operations, and had been ordered by Osama bin Laden to hit Australian, American and European economic interests, the statement said.
Cooperation between the CIA and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency led to the arrests by the paramilitary, the statement added.
"He was planning to target United States economic interests including gas/oil pipelines, power generating dams and strike ships/oil tankers through explosive-laden speed boats in international waters."
The army named the two other senior operatives as Abdul Ghaffar al-Shami and Messara al-Shami.
Mauritania does not feature on either the US FBI's list of most wanted terrorists or the US treasury department's list of global terrorists.
But Western intelligence officials from two separate countries confirmed Mauritania was part of Al Qaeda's top team in Pakistan, and linked to threats against Europe.
"If it's confirmed, it's a good catch," said one Western intelligence source.
The report comes one week after US officials claimed to have killed the Al Qaeda second-in-command near the Afghan border in Pakistan.
But Pakistani security officials have expressed doubt over the report that Atiyah abd al-Rahman had been killed in the north-west tribal area of Waziristan - an area that Washington has called the global headquarters of Al Qaeda.
Ping
It’s so convoluted and corrupt there that I have to wonder, “who’d he tick off to get himself arrested?”
Leon Panetta's CIA or Petraeus' CIA ? Fwiw, I believe Petraeus officially takes over tomorrow.
Senior Al Qaeda leader arrested...
There seems to be no end to Senior Al Qaeda leaders.
zawahiri is who needs to be killed or captured... add in mullah omar.
LLS
No doubt. I don't think ISI is going to give them up anytime soon though. Here's hoping that those SOBs meet a violent death.
May JDAMs rain down on them .
An honorary title to make them seem important. Kind of like a bank "vice-president". You get that title so the bank doesn't have to pay overtime any more.
Or maybe they get to be "Senior" by living to be older than 24.
Amen bro... they are probably living in the ISI headquarters.
LLS
THANKS csvset for this ping.
Note: Image included.
NOTE The following press release is a quote:
INTER SERVICE PUBLIC RELATIONS
www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&id=1827
Press Release
No PR195/2011-ISPR Dated: September 5, 2011
Rawalpindi - September 5, 2011:
AL QAEDA COMMANDER FOR EXTERNAL OPERATIONS NABBED FROM QUETTA
In an intelligence driven operation by Inter Services Intelligence in coordination with Frontier Corps Balochistan, a senior Al Qaeda leader, Younis Al Mauritani mainly responsible for planning and conduct of international operations, was nabbed alongwith two other senior Al Qaeda operatives, Abdul Ghaffar Al Shami (Bachar Chama ) and Messara Al Shami (Mujahid Amino) from suburbs of Quetta. Al Mauritani was tasked personally by Osama Bin Ladan to focus on hitting targets of economical importance in United States of America, Europe and Australia. He was planning to target United States economic interests including gas/oil pipelines, power generating dams and strike ships/oil tankers through explosive laden speed boats in International waters.
Trough this critical arrest yet another fatal blow has been delivered to Al Qaeda. This operation was planned and conducted with technical assistance of United State Intelligence Agencies with whom Inter Services Intelligence has a strong, historic intelligence relationship. Both Pakistan and United States intelligence agencies continue to work closely together to enhance security of their respective nations.
The intimate cooperation between Pakistan and United States Intelligence agencies has resulted into prevention of number of high profile terrorist acts not only inside Pakistan/United States but elsewhere also in world.
Adding another link:
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/09/pakistani_forces_cap.php
“Pakistani forces capture senior al Qaeda leader Younis al Mauritania in Quetta”
By BILL ROGGIO
September 5, 2011
SNIPPET: “US intelligence officials have not confirmed the Pakistani claims that al Mauritania and the two other operatives are in custody.
Last year al Mauritania, who was previously an unknown figure, jumped into the spotlight after he was identified as directing a plot by al Qaeda to attack multiple targets in Europe in a Mumbai-like terror assault. Several news reports incorrectly claimed that he was al Qaeda’s so-called “number 3,” or third in command. The number 3 designation is often assigned by Western officials and media to al Qaeda’s suspected operations chief. [See LWJ report, Al Qaeda’s #3 misidentified again, for more information.]
But in fact, US intelligence officials told The Long War Journal last year that al Mauritania is a senior member of al Qaeda’s external operations council, the division that is tasked with hitting the US, Europe, and allied nations. Al Mauritania, Adnan el Shukrijuma, and Ilyas Kashmiri are believed to be the senior-most members of the external operations council. Kashmiri is rumored to have been killed in a Predator strike in early June, but the report has never been confirmed.”
“”If it’s confirmed, it’s a good catch,” said one Western intelligence source.”
DITTO.
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